Evidence for paclitaxel from three new endophytic fungi of Himalayan yew of Nepal.

Taxus wallichiana, collected from the Himalayan region of Nepal, yielded, among others, three different endophytic fungi including Sporormia minima, Trichothecium sp., and an unidentified dimorphic fungus. Each was shown to produce paclitaxel in a culture medium. Each of these fungi represents a new report as a paclitaxel producer. The production of paclitaxel was confirmed by an immunoassay that utilized monoclonal antibodies, TLC chromatography as well as high performance liquid chromatography combined with on-line mass spectrometry.